Grandmother charged in connection to granddaughter’s death

Published 11:00 pm, Tuesday, July 9, 2013

A 44-year-old Dayton grandmother, Rebekah Ruth Dowdy, has been charged with the second-degree felony of Child Abandonment relating to the death of her 18-month-old granddaughter, Harlee Dowdy.

Dowdy’s arrest on July 8, 2013, came after a year-long investigation by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.

Harlee Dowdy died on Aug. 14, 2012, after an incident at her grandparents’ home in the 100 block of CR 4532 in Dayton.

The little girl and her 3-year-old sister reportedly were left with their firefighter grandparents, who, in turn, left the children temporarily in the care of their special-needs uncle while they went out on a fire call. When they returned, they reportedly discovered the baby in grave condition in a bed in the home.

The children’s uncle, Jack Hollis, was charged with Injury to a Child not long after Harlee’s death. The case against him is still pending in the 253rd District Court.

Rebekah Dowdy is currently in the Liberty County Jail waiting on a bond hearing.